Is Trump his own worst enemy?

Goal seeking is an honest endeavor. Most of us try to seek goals that are practical and that are in our reach. In other words, one may want to become a millionaire in one month, but common sense takes over and you know your are not going to be able to achieve that goal in that time frame.

However, if you are like Donald Trump, you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth. You are in a privileged class where you have inherited at least a million dollars. Now that he is our president, I don't think he really has used any form of critical thinking in his desire to accomplish his goals, they are more of decree. But when he talks about his goals, he is really articulating his wishful thinking and expectations, which may or may not come to fruition in the way that he was able to see it as a business person. I don't think he realized how many circumstances are not in his control as president.

Presidential Candidates and their Promises

Typically, presidential candidates make all kinds of pledges and promises while they are running for office. However very few candidates who have become president have made all those promises come to fruition. Trump, however has tried to make almost all his pledges and promises come true within a few days of being in office. But with the reality of the office of President, it has been very difficult for him to do so.

We have all heard that words have consequences. But it has never been truer than when it is for the President of the United States. Typically when presidents first come into office, there is a certain mystique and aloofness about them. But not Donald Trump, he lays it out there for the world to see and hear. Whether it is tweeting about Ivanka's brand being diminished or how, the wall is going to be paid for, the good, the bad and the ugly is out there in the world of news.

Trump's Goals

If Trump would have just kept his mouth and his tweeter closed, he would have entered the White House in good condition. Obama left him with a low unemployment rate of 4.8% and 227,000 new jobs created in the last quarter. He tried to take credit for it, but those stats were valid before he took office. The military is the strongest and most capable in the world. It is not depleted as he states.

His signature focus while campaigning was the wall. But now Mexico has refused to pay for his wall and all the world knows it. He wants to raise the import tax on Mexico so that will be passed on to us in the form of higher prices. Obama left him with an immigration policy that already uses “extreme vetting.” But now his executive order is being litigated, possibly by the Supreme Court. He just said that it will take up to two years to repeal and replace Obama care. But Paul Ryan says it will be done this year. Which is it? During the campaigns, all republican candidates including Trump said they were going to dismantle Obama Care in their first day in office.

Trump's and his supporters expectations

If Trump doesn’t like what he hears, he calls it fake news. Or he attacks those that disagree with him or ridicule him via political satire. Or if he loses, “the system is rigged.” What he is doing, without realizing, it is making himself accountable for all the promises and pledges he is trying to keep. His words and actions stay in the news. It will be interesting to see how he handles getting jobs for the “forgotten ones”, the steel workers and coal miners that for generations that is all they have known. But their jobs have gone by the wayside because of less demand and technological changes. Most of the auto industry workers have been replaced with automation and robots. NAFTA and TPP are agreements that are entangled with other countries that make it very difficult to just back out of. And they affect the bottom line of American corporations

Open Issues and Deflection

He now even has Mike Pence investigating how many illegal aliens and dead people voted for Hillary so that she could win the popular vote. This is the same tactic that he used with the Obama “birther movement.” It stayed open for years and Trump never apologized. There are people who still believe that Obama was born in Kenya. I predict that this issue will also stay open for years and there will be people who believe for years to come that Hillary rigged the system for the popular vote.

Just today 2/8/2017, he stated that the news media does not report all the terrorists attacks that have taken place in this country. Again, it is an open issue that is difficult to prove one way or the other. However, his supporters will believe him and his opponents will not.

Group Thinking

His cabinet is made up of mainly white billionaires many of them business men who think like Trump. Group thinking is very dangerous when trying to achieve goals as there is no diversity of thought to challenge the direction the group is heading in. If a group member does challenge the group, the member will probably be over powered by the group. This can and most of the time results in faulty outcomes. An example of this is Trump's first entry into a military mission in Yemen that Obama thought was too risky to execute. However, Trump and his group took it on and the outcome resulted with many civilians and a Seal Team member killed. Now the leader of Yemen said no more attacks by the U.S. into Yemen without his approval. Again it is out there for the world to see.

Conclusion

I suspect that Trump is going to disappoint his supporters by not being able to deliver the goods. But he is the one who has put himself in the news and made himself accountable by not being able to accomplish his goals which are mainly decrees and just wishful thinking on his part, as well as for his supporter’s part. It is wishful thinking because he never had any real plans or critical thinking, just words to convince people that he knew what he was doing. He was and is making it up as he goes along. There was a wise man who once said, "Sometimes to do nothing is to do everything. It is the wise person who know when to act and when not to act."...Maybe acting is what it is all about, but this is not reality TV. This is reality and he is becoming his own worst enemy in front of the whole world to see.

After reading this article, do you think Trump is his own worst enemy?

Comments

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Mike Russo 7 months agofrom Placentia California

Diane: I agree with you. Their mentality is "My president right or wrong, my president."

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Mike Russo 7 months agofrom Placentia California

Eleanore: I wish there was a way of reaching the people who admire him. I think time will be on our side when they pass his health care bill that will take away benefits from his supporters.

G. Diane Nelson Trotter 7 months agofrom Fontana

The educated sycophants blow my mind. They know he is a couple of ants shy of a picnic. Being in his good graces appears to be preferable to doing what is best for the country. They need to get medical help for him.

Eleanore Ferranti Whitaker 7 months agofrom Old Bridge, New Jersey

Why is a president who lies so dangerous? Most of us in the Metro area know Trump's lies well enough to know he often relies on double speak.

When he said, "I do not have any tapes. I did not make any tapes." He fully expects no one to question whether or not he did HAVE tapes and did MAKE tapes that one of his adoring staff was more than willing to allow the special prosecutor to have.

Those who support Trump support and even try to justify his lies. Everyone is guilty of a little white lie. NO president can afford the luxury of lying to Americans when North Korea decides to attack. See the dangers in that lying? How would we know if he is telling the truth?

Trump loves to pretend government is his own personal amusement. What is worse is that his supporters don't just support him, they aid and abet his lies. How on earth did the American Bar Association not pull the licenses of Kasowitz, Sekulow or Conway for knowingly and publicly supporting Trump's all too dangerous lies?

When he Tweeted so publicly to Comey, "You better hope there are no tapes," that was as subtle an intimidation to stop Comey from testify which by all accounts is considered obstruction of justice.

As to the Russian hacking, what is most dangerous is the information the hackers now have and use to skew our voter registeries. And if they can do that, what other information can they delete or change? How would we ever know what we see and hear in media is not Russian propaganda?

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Ewent: Thanks for your comments and all the information. Again, Trump just proved he is his own worst enemy. After he fired Comey, and Comey leaked to the press, he said, "You better hope there are not tapes." This started the investigation by the Special Council. Then Trump calls it a Witch Hunt. And now he tweets, "There are no tapes." I don't think he even realizes that he caused the whole investigation by firing Comey and then threatened him with tapes. Now the investigation will start to encircle on him.

Eleanore Ferranti Whitaker 8 months agofrom Old Bridge, New Jersey

Many ask why the evidence of Russian hacking has not been released. Some of it has. When Reality Winner disclosed classified documents that revealed 39 states had their elections or their voter information hacked, the Republicans went berserk ready to put her in prison. Funny thing about that...Edward Snowden released classified documents that could have endangered our diplomats and our military and not a peep out of the GOP. When SHE does it, SHE must go to prison. When HE does it, maybe he was doing the country a favor?

Jeh Johnson, a former FBI agent who has "seen" the evidence first hand made an interesting statement in the Senate investigation this week: "It is a fact that the 2016 election was hacked. And, it was at the direct order of Vladimir Putin."

So what does the Corn Pone Steve King say? "I haven't seen any evidence." Perhaps, it is more truthful that King doesn't WANT to see the evidence even when Nikki Haley and other GOP politicians have said they've seen it.

The government cannot release this evidence other than to allow Americans to protect themselves from Russian election interference. Make sure all of your virus checkers allow you to identify ISPs. Some of them come from Russian hackers but are jimmied to look like they come from the US.

Trump knows he won't get a 2nd free get out of jail card if he is solidly tied to Russian money laundering. But, what's worse than a man who believes he doesn't ever had to pay his bills than owing money to Putin?

Trump, like his mentor, Roy Cohn, like to believe they are above the law. Until US laws show them the door to prison.

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Ewent: Thank you for your very informative comments. I think the man is defective on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin. But his latest thing is to shutdown the press briefings, more twitter storms and more rallies to his supporters. It just blows my mind. Thanks for stopping by.

Eleanore Ferranti Whitaker 8 months agofrom Old Bridge, New Jersey

It is more than a little obvious the one thing Trump fears most is being investigated. Look at the trail of obstruction he and only he is responsible for. The timelines of firings of Sally Yates, James Comey and threats to Mueller and Rosenstein show Trump is deathly afraid of his dirty laundry finally after 4 or more decades coming out in the wash.

Those of us in the NY/NJ Metro area have had the Trump mug in our media since Daddy Fred handed Mommy Mary Anne's spoiled rotten fair haired Donny Boy that $235 million to start his own real estate business. "Business" a word that can only be used "loosely" when applied to Trump.

This is a man whose Mommy taught him he doesn't have to play by the any "rules" and that he can do just as he pleases. So, as a CEO, he did just that. Cheating, lying and distorting facts all along his merry business way. You expected him to run a clean, totally transparent election? Do take a course in Political Naivete to bone up on how dirty CEOs like Trump play their games and the rules they "choose" to live by.

So, what is Trump so afraid of that he is going to great lengths to try and stop these investigations? Well, for one thing, he already entered the White House like no other 44 presidents EVER did: with a guilty charge of money laundering.

Why should that scare him? After all, the FinCEN and the U.S. Treasury accepted his $25 million slap on his wrist. Didn't they?

What scares Trump is that while the first money laundering was done with his Muslim high rollers at the Taj Mahal casino, a second charge of money laundering, when, not if, disclosed, could see him in prison for one reason: The money laundered might just be "Russian money." A much more serious federal offense.

The reason Mueller is looking at Deutschebank in NY, a foreign exchange bank that lent money to Trump and Jared Kushner is because Deutschebank got nabbed for a $320 million fine for laundering "Russian" money. Since we in the Metro area all knew no US banks would lend him money given his bad reputation for not paying what he owes, the only bank he could get a loan from was...tah dah...Deutschebank. Smell that link to Russia yet folks?

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: I don't think Trump supporters are uncomfortable with his antics at all. For some crazy reason they are willing to overlook his faults and just trust him, no matter what he does and/or says, especially the ones who were the electoral college voters.

I expend my energy, because I have this crazy notion that if I can get at least one person to see the light, then it is worth it for me. That is part of my self-imposed responsibility as a retired person. And yes I have to admit, I'm addicted to these political forums, which is also crazy.

Paula 8 months agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

It has to be apparent even to those who are serious Trump fans/defenders that he is his own worst enemy. He's actually been TOLD this by individuals of his administration.

So, the way I see it, since he exposes himself, his flaws, bad habits, pathology, etc he himself makes it easier for his haters and uncomfortable for those who support him.

Hard core truth is the best choice....If U are strictly PARTY loyal & it never matters who the PERSON is....admit it. If you dislike both candidates & voted for YOUR choice of lesser evil...admit that too. Everyone needs to stop being crazy & fanatical......there is not a Politician worth my emotions, time energy, defense...etc. They need to work for us and the best interests of our country until their term is up and then move over for the next Liar.....and get lost!

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: Hooray for our side! So we agree on respect.

This article is about Trump being his own worst enemy. He just proved it yesterday by tweeting that his travel ban was not about the people it was about the countries. The 9th Circuit Court judge ruled, it as too far reaching by banning the countries.

Spicer even enforced it by saying that Trump's tweets are official statements from the White House. Trump can't control his penchant for winning and counter punching. As I said before, his defective personality gets in the way of him being a decent human being and being an effective Commander and Chief.

Paula 8 months agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

What U just stated about "loyalty," is very much like the comment I wrote to Shyron's most recent question! No one receives respect or loyalty from me until it is earned in spades, nor should they!

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: It didn't pick up my edits. I just wanted to say that Leslie was a staunch conservative. She saw the light and came over to the other side. Also Trump wants everyone to be loyal to him. Before I'm loyal to him, he has to earn my respect. Thus far he hasn't done that nor do I think he will in the future.

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: I would much rather have Hillary as president than Trump. I don't have the history with Hillary as you do. The list you posted also included Obama and Podesta. I can understand you posting it about about Hillary, because you see her as the greater of the evils in your choice for president. I don't see it that way. I don't care that Trump is our elected president. He has many bad qualities that get in the way of him being an effective Commander and Chief of our country. I know if he is impeached , we get Pence and I'm in the same situation that you are in. I don't like him either because of his self-righteous religious views, but he is the lessor of the evils for our country. Just as you said, Ask me if I care if Trump won? I don't. I think he is a defective human being. It has nothing to do with me being a sore loser. Hillary is toast. She lost, end of story. Thanks for the hug...back atcha.

Paula 8 months agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

OK, Nice Mike, for the 150th time, here on HP.I do NOT hate liberals.90% of my family & close friends R libs & I love them! I voted 4 Obama BOTH times.

YES, I hate, HATE Hillary (we've been over that, U & I) I AGREE it's "history" & 2 wrongs don't make a right. Strange, the hugest offender of bringing up "2 wrongs." is your buddy Leslie (& U damned-well know it) Every one of her comments is pointing to Conservs & what they did & said & got away with!,,blah blah blah.. I've never seen you preach to her about the 2 wrongs like you just did to me, nice Mike.

Look, nice Mike, if I didn't respect UR opinion I wouldn't spend a moment of time interacting with U. If it will make you feel better to have proof that I am not a Trump "supporter," I will send you over a dozen comments I have made here on my feelings about the man. I AM, however, a Trump "user" B cuz, let's face it we were given CRAPPY choices to vote for. I can send them to U via email if U like ~just so I can put to rest that I do not have any fondness for Donald. I didn't like him B4 and I don't like him now. I'm just ecstatic that we dodged the deadly bullet named HRC..& I DO NOT AND WILL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.Never will. I really shouldn't have to explain myself, but U seem to need PROOF for everything. I have no reason whatsoever to lie. I can be a lot of unsavory things, Mike, but lying is not my style, at all. I'm much too head strong to think I even need to lie! IMHO, Trump is all the things you feel he is & possibly some you haven't mentioned, but he was elected...EVEN if he didn't get the popular vote as has been pointed out at least 3 million times for her 3 million votes. Ask me if I care HOW he won? I don't HRC LOST & that was my one & only wish. Amen....VERY nice, Paula,& U can even have a hug, whether U want one or not!

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: I do my own work and you know that. You know that I do research and analysis on just about everything I post. You never answered my question. What is the purpose of those statements? It's history and two wrongs don't make a right. I get it you hate Hillary and liberals and sadly, I think you are a Trump supporter.

Nice Mike and definitely not a Trump supporter.

Paula 8 months agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

LOL...Yes, nice Mike, the statements are facts & easy to find online. I do my own work. if U want info, you do UR own work too. Nice Paula

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: I googled "Oh wait that was Hillary" and all I could find was a meme that listed those statements, by a person called Ellis Llama. Juan Williams and Fox News have no credibility with me. Simply because Trump treats them as true news and the MSM as fake news, but it is really the other way around. This is Trump's way of dividing and conquering the news media. He doesn't want them to join forces. In this way, he keeps both sides weak.

My presumption is you never did the research to see if those statements are true or false or half truths. Unless you do the research and analysis, in my book, it is blind faith. What is the purpose of even posting that list? Let's say those statements are true. Does that exonerate Trump from the ongoing investigation?

I'm still a nice guy. You and I just have different political views? Have a nice day from a nice guy.

Paula 8 months agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

Mike...I first "heard" this spoken on a talk radio program, while driving. I did not know the name of the person, but I wanted to know where it came from. She expressed this at the end of a public speaking engagement. So, I began to look into it. In the meantime, a friend of mine (guy I am dating) from Albany, who works for the FBI, emailed me the actual quote, so I would have it in print.

The site I then saw, it was posted by a Political news reporter....I could go back & get all the info Mike, but if you Google, "Oh wait,that was Hillary", you'll find what you're looking for.

I don't know if you're familiar with Juan Williams(Liberal) of "The Five" But he made a comment on the show last week that this quote has the Clinton's furious because of more exposed emails by Wikileaks.

And Mike, I did not nor do I ever "go on blind faith"...and I'm curious as to your presumptuous, flippant comment. You used to be a nice guy. It's a shame you've become one of the cocky group. It really doesn't suit you well.

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Mike Russo 8 months agofrom Placentia California

Paula: Can you send me the link to the article that you read? There is a huge underground channel of miss-information out there that is being propagated all the way from Trump to right wing outlets including Breitbart, Fox, and GotNew.com. I don't know whether to believe what you wrote or not. It would take a lot of research to verify if those statement are true or false or just half truths. Or I could just accept them on blind faith like you did. Take a look at this link.

Found this on a news site, written by a former democrat. I knew you'd like it.'

Remember when Donald Trump was business partners with the Russian government and his company got 53 million from the Russian government investment fund called Rusnano that was started by Vladimir Putin and is referred to as "Putin's Child"?

Oh wait that wasn't Trump it was John Podesta.

Remember when Donald Trump received 500 thousand for a speech in Moscow and paid for by Renaissance Capital, a company tied to Russian Intelligence Agencies?

Oh wait that was Bill Clinton.

Remember when Donald Trump approved the sale of 20% of US uranium to the Russians while he was Secretary of State which gave control of it to Rosatom the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation?

Oh wait that was Hillary Clinton.

Remember when Donald Trump lied about that and said he wasn't a part of approving the deal that gave the Russians 1/5 of our uranium, but then his emails were leaked showing he did lie about it?

Oh wait that was Hillary Clinton and John Podesta.

Remember when Donald Trump got 145 million dollars from shareholders of the uranium company sold to the Russians?

Oh wait that was Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation.

Remember when Donald Trump accepted millions in donations from Russian Oligarchs like the chairman of a company that's part of the Russian Nuclear Research Cluster, the wife of the mayor of Moscow, and a close pal of Putins?

Oh wait that was the Clinton Foundation.

Remember when Donald Trump failed to disclose all those donations before becoming the Secretary of State, and it was only found out when a journalist went through Canadian tax records?

Oh wait that was Hillary Clinton.

Remember when Donald Trump told Mitt Romney that the 80s called and it wanted its Russian policy back. The Cold War is over?

Oh wait that was President Obama.

Have a great night, P

Author

Mike Russo 9 months agofrom Placentia California

Sanxuary: I wrote that article sometime ago. Since then I have come to realize that Trump sees everybody who doe not support him as a contest that he has to win. In his mind he, is always the winner, even if he has to twist the outcome in his mind. That is why he puts words like wiretapping and tapes in quotes because he can have it mean anything he wants when questioned. That's why he wants to be adored by his supporters and counter punches with 10 times the force with people and things that he perceives as a threat.

Thanks for dropping by.

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Mike Russo 9 months agofrom Placentia California

Diane: I don't know what to believe with Trump, he contradicts his own lies. Thanks for dropping by.

Sanxuary 9 months ago

I have never seen such a dumb criminal. They could not make this any easier. It drives me crazy when people say they have no reason to investigate. If you are innocent you would never act this stupid. You would never go this far to screw up everything.

G. Diane Nelson Trotter 9 months agofrom Fontana

Hot off the press: In his meeting with Russians, he told them that Comey was a "nut job!" "Pressure is off now!" Spicey said he had to do it!!!

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Mike Russo 9 months agofrom Placentia California

In his mind, he is always telling the truth, even if he is really lying. Thanks for stopping by.

Rachel Fields 9 months ago

He lies so much that he now does not know the truth

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Mike Russo 10 months agofrom Placentia California

Ewent: I agree with everything you have stated. Trump is leaving a trail of his lies and his hypocrisy for all the world to see and hear. He failed with passing Trump Care and now he is moving on to tax reform. His supporters are still overlooking all of this with the hopes of his promises for creating jobs. It is just a matter of time that the coal miners and steel workers realize, their jobs are not coming back. I don't know how he is going to weasel word his way out of that, but I'm sure he and his people are working on a strategy Thanks for dropping by.

Eleanore Ferranti Whitaker 10 months agofrom Old Bridge, New Jersey

Trump never was qualified to be president. He thought government could be run like he runs his Trump Organization. Dictator style. He is totally unprepared to face the reality that we are HIS boss. He is not OURS.

What Trump believed was that he could retain all of that "corporate proprietary" information secrecy. He is not prepared for the fact that he cannot have a "secret" government within a democracy.

He also refuses to accept that his "Point and Delegate" or pyschological "intimidation" tactics only work in business, not government.

How deeply he is involved with Russians is not a surprise. He may pretend he didn't know Flynn, Manafort and Stone were all tied to Putin. But the more, he tries to sabotage investigations, the guiltier he looks.

Now, Americans realize that all that "Throw Hillary in Prison" was right wing Putin work. We also know that Gowdy is in deep trouble for that 11 hour interrogation of Hillary about Benghazi because Gowdy was only acting McCarthyist for his Russian links who wanted Trump for president. The right wing can no longer be believed or trusted. We know Putin is far right of even the American right wing. Why would we trust them anymore than we'd trust Putin?

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Mike Russo 11 months agofrom Placentia California

Catherine: I agree, he is a master salesman and marketeer. He is selling the Trump brand just like it is a T.V. commercial He sees his opposition as another brand and he is doing everything he can to de-legitimize it.

Fareed Zakaria, Time Magazine's Chief Editor said, "Don't confuse motion with progress. A rocking horse has a lot of motion, but no forward progress." That pretty much sums up Trump's progress so far.

Thank you for stopping by and your comments.

Catherine Giordano 11 months agofrom Orlando Florida

Very good article. Trump keeps talking about his promises, and he makes intermittent, usually unsuccessful, attempts to show that he is doing something. Eventually, his supporters may realize that his promises are just like that blue smoke at the Republican Convention.

Nobody has pounced on you yet??? Some look for negative on Trump so they can attack and deflect. Good article.

Larry Rankin 12 months agofrom Oklahoma

Just a spoiled brat who doesn't have enough sense to know when he's failed.

I always appreciate your take on things. It is my belief that Trump's "promises" will bite him at some point.

I don't think he has a fundamental understanding of his office. He's not a king he's not above everything. He's our servant. Legally, I think there will eventually be ramifications for this ignorance.

Kathleen Cochran 12 months agofrom Atlanta, Georgia

I'm honored.

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Mike Russo 12 months agofrom Placentia California

Kathleen: That is an excellent point and really puts things in perspective. Thank you so much for your comments. I can always look to your for rationality. I'm going to share this hub on Face Book and Pinterest and use your comment as the introduction if that is O.K. with you?

Kathleen Cochran 12 months agofrom Atlanta, Georgia

The problem with Trump exclaiming he's keeping his campaign promises is that a minority of registered voters elected him. That fact is not going to change, so his favorability ratings are going to stay low. So he's doing what he promised? 140 million registered voters didn't want his promises in the first place. Only 60 million did. I know some hubbers here like to play fast and loose with statistics, but numbers are numbers.